Middle Earth Ranger Forum

So I'm sure I've mentioned before of my love of Late Antiquity and early medieval/ Migration Age Europe and how that period has influenced my vision of Middle-earth.

I've recently come around to the standard cloak of the time period. A rectangular blanket that the Romans dubbed a "sagum." It was in use from pretty much from in late antiquity all the way to the Norman Conquest. In y minds eye, it's easy to see a Ranger wandering the wilds draped in a cloak like this. Something about it just says "rough and ready" to me. Almost barbaric? But that's a poor word choice perhaps.

One of the most well-reviewed makers of that sort of cloak is ECHO Historical Textile from Ukraine. So I save up my money and then for New Year's the team has a sale. I jump on it and order a dark grey twill fringed sagum. They drop it off at the post office the day after New Years and the Ukrainian post office creates a tracking number so I can see where it is. And then it sits there. And sits there. Three weeks go by and it says it's still sitting in Kyiv. I follow the ECHO team on Instagram and I see them post a picture with a comment bemoaning the slow pace of the Ukrainian post office and to please be patient. I'm in no rush at all so I hadn't reached out to them but it's good to know that apparently I'm not the only one having issues. It still sits there and then the trouble with Russia begins to be in earnest. This is about the time of the Olympics. I feel slightly guilty as I had messaged them not long prior thanking them for their hard work and that I was not in any rush. So I didn't ask for an update. But hey, Russia won't invade right? More posturing from Putin I think. Then the war began. I feel terrible worrying about a cloak because it's literally the least important thing as their country is being invaded. This is some first world problems here.

The team posts an update saying how they are hunkered down in an air raid shelter so I think "Hey, I supported a Ukrainian business in a terrible time. I hope that my little bit at least helps." So I write it off and begin to feel better because it's at least something. I'm following the war and it's just terrible to see the suffering that Putin is forcing upon Ukrainians. I put my plans on the back-burner and keep on doing my thing. Just because of pure stubbornness I keep checking the tracking number and every day it still says that it's in Kyiv. I head off to work week before last and as I walk up the sidewalk returning home that evening I spot a brown package with a huge amount of stamps on it. I think to myself "No frigging way." I check the return address and lo and behold I see it came from Ukraine. I run inside ripping it open as I go and there's my cloak. I check the tracking number again and hah, it's still in Ukraine. I guess they never did update it and it must have been on one of the last planes out. So now two months later, I finally have my cloak. It's silly to be excited and frustrated about this small thing when they are literally fighting for their country but I'm still really happy.

The details
- 140 x 180 cm with approximately 10 extra cm on either side longways with the fringe.
- Handwoven 100% wool 2/2 twill
- Weight of fabric: 330-340 grams / m2

A short review - I love it. I love it so much that I've been wearing it every chance I've gotten this past week since there's a limited window to this nice cool weather here in Texas. I've worn it to the office, walking the dog, to the store. It's great. One can wear it in a multitude of different ways. It's just light enough to not weigh down on you but it's very warm and toasty. It pairs most excellently with Odigan's Númenórean penannular brooch. The only real drawback is that even at 1.8 meters long, it's still a little short for my height. From what I've seen, most sagums were 2 to 3 meters long. It's not a huge deal as I sleep with my legs up and I'd rather not have the extra weight of another meter of fabric.

Slava Ukraini!

That looks fantastic!

For what it's worth, I think that length is great, especially for a less-fulled weave that might catch on briars and such. I've a daily-wear wool wrap about that size and it's fantastic.

... I do hope the makers are doing well. I chatted briefly with the guys at armour & castings (very highly recommended by the way) right about the time everything started and... oof. God keep them safe.

That's BEAUTIFUL! Love it. Looks fantastic on you.

Thank you to you both!

Yes, I'm not terrible concerned over a minor thing like length honestly. I only mention it as a comparison to the real-world historical record. I think a shorter length works better for what we do anyway and when it comes to to sleep, I can always turn it diagonally.

I have to admit that this choice of cloak is mostly an aesthetic one for sure. I love Greg's Bocksten and Manv's cross-over but there's something undeniably Romantic about this rectangular cloak. We'll see how it handles in the woods but to me that's almost a secondary concern. I can always remove it and store it away if it turns into a hassle. I'm sure folks back then didn't wear them all the time either. But yeah, the sagum and penannular brooch has absolutely the right "vibe" I was searching for in a cloak. Like I said, rough and ready it seems.

Plus, I adore those fringes. Maybe not the most practical choice but a man's gotta have some style, dontcha think?

Looks great! I've read that fringe on leather wicks water away, and helps it dry faster. Probably works similarly on other materials.

I’ve heard the same! The weave is not particularly thick so that might be just the thing if I’m caught in an unexpected downpour.

That is a vary nice piece indeed, it looks amazing

The Broach with such a long pont past the end looks like it might stab you if you fell down. Does anybody else use long ones like that and have you had any issues stabbing yourself falling down or such in regular movements?

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 6:52 am The Broach with such a long pont past the end looks like it might stab you if you fell down. Does anybody else use long ones like that and have you had any issues stabbing yourself falling down or such in regular movements?

if you are sensible it shouldn't be a problem, that said because I have a habit of climbing trees (and I'm just clumsy in general) I have ended up stabbed by those quite a few times, so I opt to keep the point short or use a kilt pin, the latter doesn't look nearly as good but is much less sharp

A burnt hand teaches best, I've found. I poked myself exactly once and like Iodo said, am sensible enough to take care to not do it again. Also, one can angle the point in any direction one wants so as to allow less chance of poking.

Iodo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 19, 2022 8:16 amThat is a vary nice piece indeed, it looks amazing

Thanks Iodo!